* Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Questions regarding use of any Version of Family Historian. Please ensure you have set your Version of Family Historian in your Profile. If your question fits in one of these subject-specific sub-forums, please ask it there.
Post Reply
avatar
ColinMc
Superstar
Posts: 458
Joined: 17 Jan 2019 11:35
Family Historian: V7
Location: Edinburgh

Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Post by ColinMc »

I have a number of press articles (and other media) to be included, but no obvious fact type to enter them under.

In one case I have a story about a train driver's 25 years in the role. That could possibly be entered as an occupation fact?

A house fire destroying the whole property - could that be residence fact?

In another, I have a story about a person being shot on a rifle range by accident. A week later I have an article about his death. Then I have two letters sending donations to a trust fund set up after his death. Should these be entered (some or all) as death facts?

Or should I create new custom facts?

How would others deal with this.

Thanks

Colin
Colin McDonald - Researching McDonald, McGillivray, Tait, Rountree families
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Post by davidf »

I tend to think about how I would want those facts "revealed"

If you want it to appear in diagrams and reports, adding the detail from the article as the relevant fact (occupation/residence etc), means it will be revealed without adding a custom fact to your diagrams and reports.

If you just want to "hold" the reference and information, there is a lot to be said for creating a custom fact (I tend to use an attribute: "Newspaper Mention". The attribute gives you the additional field which I find useful).
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5465
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Well, it depends. How are you presenting your research -- report, website, ....?

I only present my research via a website (which isn't based on any FH reports).

I would use the newspaper articles as sources supporting the occupation (train driver) and the (cause of) death and a residence. I would include transcriptions of the newspaper articles in the Text From Source (which is visible on my website). An example (not the same sort of fact): http://www.colevalleygirl.co.uk/tree/g1 ... tm#i142.13

The letters are a bit different as they're nothing to do with his death or his will/probate. I'll be interested to hear how others suggest dealing with those.
User avatar
Jane
Site Admin
Posts: 8508
Joined: 01 Nov 2002 15:00
Family Historian: V7
Location: Somerset, England
Contact:

Re: Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Post by Jane »

I create each article / Newspaper page as a Source. If it's a report of a Burial or a wedding I tend to put the results against the wedding or burial, using it to populate attendees as witnesses. For more generic articles I have a "featured in newspaper article" attribute, so I can include either the full article or the a subset as a note for example
2019-03-11_141450.jpg
2019-03-11_141450.jpg (56.21 KiB) Viewed 3943 times
2019-03-11_141529.jpg
2019-03-11_141529.jpg (168.46 KiB) Viewed 3943 times
I often tweak the sentence so for some of your examples I might say "His death was featured in" etc
Jane
My Family History : My Photography "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."
avatar
ColinMc
Superstar
Posts: 458
Joined: 17 Jan 2019 11:35
Family Historian: V7
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Post by ColinMc »

Thanks for responses. My research will be mostly in diagrams and reports for sharing with family. No plans for websites or any wider distribution.

Tying them in with existing facts such as BMD or occupation does therefore seem to be attractive, with the catch-all "Newspaper Article" fact to sweep up the rest.

Thanks again

Colin
Colin McDonald - Researching McDonald, McGillivray, Tait, Rountree families
User avatar
tatewise
Megastar
Posts: 28342
Joined: 25 May 2010 11:00
Family Historian: V7
Location: Torbay, Devon, UK
Contact:

Re: Fact type for Newspaper Articles and other assorted media

Post by tatewise »

The thing to keep clear is the concept of Source records of information that via Citations support Facts.
Most Sources can provide information about standard Facts, such Birth, Marriage, Death, Occupation, etc.
Others need a generic custom fact such as Obituary, or News Article for published news, or Communication to and Correspondence from other people for letters and such like.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
Post Reply